Traditionally, battery-based energy storage systems have been used to shave peak consumption and to function as back-up power supplies.
Technical challenges abound, however. Conventional battery-based energy storage devices often address only specific power consumption demands and are thus not well-adapted to handle consumption demands that vary from time to time. Risk may result from an energy system being unable to handle greater demands; on the flip side, waste may result from an energy system with a large number of under-producing units. Also, energy storage systems that are convenient for replacement, maintenance, expansion, and transportation are desired.